


Prisoner

by BAlvinia



Category: Original Work
Genre: Escape, Fantasy, Implied/Referenced Torture, Monsters, One Shot, Original Character(s), Original Fiction, Prison, Tumblr: Writing-prompt-s
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2020-07-12
Updated: 2020-07-12
Packaged: 2021-03-05 01:08:17
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 1
Words: 837
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/25225828
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/BAlvinia/pseuds/BAlvinia
Summary: One shot. A prisoner has been locked up with other nonhumans. Now she looks forward to escape, but somebody will betray her.
Kudos: 1





	Prisoner

**Author's Note:**

> Based on a writing prompt by promptsforthestrugglingauthor on Tumblr.

We had been planning to escape for months now. The tiny rooms they had three or four of us locked in and the walls surrounding the building were impenetrable, so we knew we’d have to wait for the right moment. Today was it. Or so I had thought.

Penelope, Cora, and Thalia were my cell mates. They’d moved Thalia in when Kadence had died from an infection. None of our few hidden medicines would have cured it. The little time we had outside only gave us the opportunity to collect a few herbs that happened to be growing on the grounds of the prison property. Since we knew Thalia for the least amount of time, I didn’t trust her. There were rumours that some of the inmates were plants, guards who were paid extra to get an inside look at what we were up to when nobody was looking. It was dangerous work. Sure, our claws were ripped out each month and teeth filed down. We were administered drugs in our food to keep our senses dull. We couldn’t scent humans anymore in these conditions. Still, once in a while, one of us managed to kill a guard. It never turned out well for the prisoner. Violence against our captors was a death sentence.

We were scheduled to go outside today. Our cell had been on good behavior, not a one of us had broken any rules, so we got to spend an entire hour outside this month. It would be blissful. What made it even better was the sliver of hope we had of making it out. Of course, dear Penelope had nearly ruined it all when she started to run her mouth off to a guard when he shoved her. She was prone to her little fits that would get her into trouble. I had known her the longest in my three years here. The closeness we’d developed had aided me in getting her to shut her mouth before the guard came back over to see what she’d been saying. “Oh, she’s just admiring your haircut. It’s very nice,” I had said. We were lucky that the guard seemed to be in a good mood, or else simply hadn’t felt like pushing the matter that day.

We were led out of our cell and to the courtyard. This was the only place that had fence separating us from the outside world. A forest lay just on the other side, across a field. The run across would be dangerous once we made it out. We’d have to pay careful attention if we wanted to use the grass as cover. Freedom would be worth it, though.

Cora had managed to sneak a claw from a previous trimming. They were sharp enough to cut through metal, so she was armed with something to break through the fence. There was one weak spot I had found a year ago that would only need one cut. I directed her to the location with a nod and started collecting some herbs. What was in this enclosed space wouldn’t be needed once we got access to everything growing in the forest, but it normalized our time in the yard.

She finished the job and brought a single yellow flower to each of us. It was our sign. Thalia made it to the fence first and slipped out. She crouched below the cover of the grass. Nobody had seen her. I saw Penelope talking to a guard as I looked around to check. She must have been distracting him. I smiled to myself. I always knew I could count on her. I made it to the fence next. As I stepped one foot through the fence, a shot rang out. A sharp pain pierced through my side. It felt warm and sticky when my hand went to it. I looked up. Penelope was grinning as she walked next to the guard.

My eyes widened. Had she turned us in? My knees hit the ground, my body falling inside the fence. I fought to get through the fence, but was unsuccessful.

I should have been afraid as they restrained me. I should have been angry at my friend as the other guards thanked her for turning me in.

“Oh, just part of the job,” she said.

But, all I could do was stare as my heart shattered. I looked at her with pleading eyes. Why? I wanted to ask. Penelope had been here for the longest. She had said that her claws and teeth were permanently damaged, so they would never grow back. She complained night after night about the aching pain.

She only rolled her eyes. “What? Don’t give me that look. It’s just survival, baby. Better you than me. I warned you this was a mistake, and I told you I wouldn’t go down.”

The guards dragged me away. As long as I didn’t fight, they wouldn’t kill me for this. No, they’d just lock me away in solitary until I died.


End file.
